Today we started really early, determined to complete our planned route from Malealea Lodge in Lesotho to Queenstown — officially renamed Komani — in South Africa’s Eastern Cape before darkness. It turned out to be a remarkably scenic road trip, taking us from the dramatic and rugged highlands of western Lesotho through the expansive landscapes of the Free State and into the rolling grasslands and wide-open scenery of South Africa’s Eastern Cape.
The first 7 kilometres to the tarmac took us almost an hour. It had rained heavily overnight, turning the unpaved access road into a muddy, slippery track — but with our expedition truck, we actually had quite a bit of fun getting through it.
Once back on the main road, we continued through Mafeteng, where we stopped at an Engen station to refill the tank. Unfortunately, the diesel quality here seems to be just as questionable as in South Africa — really poor, in our experience — although at least it is slightly cheaper. From Mafeteng it was only a few more kilometres to the small Van Rooyen’s Gate (Wepener) border post.
Luckily, the border crossing was remarkably quick. On the Lesotho side, we first had our passports and CPD Carnet stamped at two small booths next to the gate. We then walked a few metres to the South African immigration building, where they stamped our passports, followed by a quick stop at the customs building opposite for the CPD Carnet stamp. After a short chat with the police at the gate, we were back on the road.
From the border onwards, it was good tarmac all the way to Queenstown (Komani). We stopped for lunch in historic Aliwal North (Maletswai), just after crossing the bridges over the Orange River, before continuing south towards Queenstown (Komani).
By the time we reached Queenstown (Komani), it was getting late, so we decided to spend the night at an Astron Energy service station—not exactly the most glamorous campsite, but a practical, secure stop after a long day on the road.
Parking location – Komani: 31.8932432S 26.8648305E (🚻,🅿️200 ZAR)